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FOCUS GROUPS. Why Do Bullies Live? by anon they say im weird i say you can't have normal in this world they say they will get me i say you'll have to catch me first they say shut up i say make me they get the bat i shut up. I Survived by Rachel Williams
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Why Do Bullies Live?by anon they say im weird i say you can't have normal in this world they say they will get me i say you'll have to catch me first they say shut up i say make me they get the bat i shut up I Survived by Rachel Williams I survived school I survived high school I survived each day My life was hard But I survived I survived every week I survived each year I survived your torment My life was hard But I survived I survived the problems you didn't know about I survived the pain God inflicted on my family I survived the pain you put me through I survived But could you?
Session 7 programme • Understand what focus groups are • Prepare for a FG on bullying by engaging with the scope of bullying • Set up the questions for the FG • Understand the process of FGs • Keep in touch with the issues of sustainability • Run an FG and identify the themes that emerge • Get the first sets of interviews underway • Tutorial on presenations
Characteristics of Focus Groups • There are six to twelve participants. • Facilitator and at least one note taker. • Tape-recorded, and other supplies may be needed • Group represents a community of interest with some diversity • Ideally the participants are unknown to each other. • The aim to gain insights into the attitudes, perceptions, beliefs and feelings of participants. Consensus not necessary • A small set of predetermined, sequenced, open-ended questions is used
Advantages of Focus Groups • It produces real-life data in a social environment – this gives it high face validity. • Flexible, low cost, simple in relation to other methods. • Speedy results – easy to summarise • It’s a very useful method for triangulating research data • Long history of use in areas where good information means $$$ in the bank.
Limitations of Focus Groups • Whom the focus group represents can be difficult to substantiate. Two representative groups might have very different views • Opinions expressed in groups can vary enormously from those privately expressed • Getting a representative group can be a difficult and demanding task • Facilitator needs special skills, to ensure depth and openness of discussion. • Data can be difficult to analyse – sometimes the results seem obvious, lacking in depth. • The environment of the focus group can influence the outcome - it needs to be pleasant and comfortable
Participant preparation • Tell them what it’s about beforehand • Put a lot of creative energy into the topic. • Manage the group’s expectations - koha, transport support, refreshments, activities, being heard, information use • Use informality: relaxed playfulness, if professional seriousness of purpose • The physical surroundings: low key, comfortable, safe, avoid desks, give choices • Powerpoint: Shave for a cure powerpoint
How do we create resilience and stop bullying in our communities?
1 out of 4 kids is bullied or abused by another youth. 1 out of 5 admits to being a bully.
There are many different types of Bullying Behaviour: • Homophobic • Extortion • Coercion • Cyber-bullying • Intimidation • Physical • Verbal • Written • Social • Racist • Isolation
Bystanders Part of the problem, often not the solution
How do we create resilience and stop bullying in our communities?
Pink Shirt Day - 23rd of May • Pink Shirt Day is a national campaign aimed to raise awareness about the power to prevent bullying. • The event began in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 2007, when a group of students stood up to defend a young person who was bullied because he was wearing a pink shirt. The students took a stand by all wearing pink shirts to show solidarity, and handing out pink shirts to their classmates. • We’ve been celebrating Pink Shirt Day in New Zealand since 2009, and the event grows stronger every year.
Structure of the Focus Group Use the same model as for semi-structured interviews – No more than 6 major questions Descriptive questions Evaluative questions Resolving/solution questions Confirming questions – a small number of rating questions at the end or at key points of the focus group Demographic questions Videos: 1 We are human; 2 The String Movement
Opening Questions • Larry Davidson: “Strategies for Interviewing” • Begin with descriptive questions. Not asking for assessments (though you may get them). You are after a rich description of experience. • Move to simple evaluations. Likes and dislikes, and what is behind these. • Then get to major evaluations, after the experiential groundwork has been done.
Finishing off the focus group • Solution/resolution question Finish on a hopeful note. Confirmation question (written and private). In focus groups key hypotheses can be checked with simple and direct questions. • On 1-5 scale (1=strongly disagree, 2= disagree, 3=not sure, 4= agree 5=strongly agree) your level of agree with ....? • Demographic questions - What contexts influence the answers to the questions? age, gender, culture. qualifications, employment, income, etc
Starting the focus group • Have an exercise, do a drawing, have a warm up presentation • Encourage divergent thought. • Make it a group. Have rounds, but avoid serial interview mode. Switch to discussion mode. • Do not take over. Accept silence
Asking the “right questions”, in the “right way” • An attitude of great interest without reinforcing any particular viewpoint. Avoid “That’s good,” and “Why?” - instead use “What’s that about ...” • Some of the best “questions” aren’t questions at all. No yes/no questions • Attend to Non-verbal behaviour, spot congruence and contradictions, speak to it, name it, intensify it. Pay attention to what the people aren't saying
Non-directive probes • Descriptive: Give me a [picture, description] of ... Describe what it’s like to ... Tell me what goes on when you ... Tell me about ... Tell me more about that ... Think about a situation in which you …. Tell me about it. • Explanatory: Explain to me .... Give me an example….. How might someone do that?... • Involving: I’d like you all to [discuss, decide] ... Ask each other to find out .... Let’s see, I haven’t heard from ...
Non-directive probes • Involving and summative: Somebody sum this all up ... Let’s see [pause] I’m having trouble figuring out how I should word this....... I don’t think I'm getting it all. Here’s what I’ve got so far, tell me what I am missing or not getting correctly ... I can’t seem to read the group’s reaction to that. Help me out. • Summative: So, it sounds like you’re saying ... So, the message you want me to get from that story is ... • Encouraging diversity: That’s helpful. Now let’s hear some different thoughts ... Let’s hear a different perspective on this.
Non-directive probes • Encouraging: Say more.... Keep talking.... Don’t stop.... Just say anything that comes to mind ... Who can build on this last idea? • Reflecting conflict: You seem to have a lot of excitement and energy around that. Talk to me from the excitement ... [I see in your face ... I hear in your voice] something important, but I don’t know what it is ... Boy, that got quite a rise out of everyone. What is everyone reacting to? ... What’s bothering you? ... How come the energy level of the group just went down?
Non-directive probes • Getting practical: I’d like you to word it as an “I wish” or a “How to.” ... Can someone turn that [wish, dream, request] into a reality? Does anyone know how to do it? ... Let's turn this complaint into a problem ... How can we solve it? • Checking: How important is that concern? ... Before we move on, let’s hear any burning thoughts that you have to get out ... What am I not asking?
Projective Techniques. • Ambiguous pictures: Imagine what the picture is about in relation to own past experience. • Drawing. You can ask people to draw a their real/ideal WINZ office or counselling room • Role Playing. Another technique is to get people to think laterally by wearing different “hats” (as a client, caregiver, service leader, member of the public)
Guided Fantasies or Visualizations. “It’s 2015... You have completed your degree... You are working when a student colleague and friend whom you haven’t seen for three years visits... What are you going to be talking about?” • Word Association and Sentence Completion. The most worrying thing about the Research Methods course is... I’d convince people to change their minds by saying….